Cylinder for electric controllers



May 29, 1934. A. sLovER 1,960,758

CYLINDER FOR ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS Filed July '7, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 29, 1934- A. sLovER 1,960,758

CYLINDER FOR ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS Filed July 7, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @wow/neg Patented May 29, 1934 Unirse STATES PATENT ori-fics 9 Claims.

This invention relates to controllers for electric circuits and more particularly to an improved cylinder and contact assembly for motor controllers.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved ly in which portions of the contact cylinder which may become damaged by arcs caused by defective contacts or from other causes may be replaced without ren wing the entire cyl* inder.

Another object oi the invention is to provide a sectional cylinder which may be easily and convenien'tly disassembled and reassembled for the urpose of replacing damaged portions thereof and in which the various sections are securely held in proper asset... bled relation.

Another object of the invention resides in the novel structure of the sections of the cylinder whereby they are maintained in correct angular relation with respect to each other.

n further object of the invention is to provide a structure in which the cylinder sections are insulated from the shaft upon which they are mounted and are securely locked thereto for movement therewith.

,fr still further object of the invention is to proroved replaceable contacts and structure iovably attaching the contacts to the cylm inder sections.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of the red embodiment of the invention illustrated attached drawings, of which 'eure l is an elevation of the cylinder assem- 2 is section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

o i d a is a horizontal section taken on line 3 3 of i ig. 1 showing the upper cylinder section.

Figs. fi, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views taken on lines 4 4, 5 5, 6 6, 7 7 and 8 8 respectively oi Fig. 1 showing the central cylinder sections and their angular relation.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 1 showing a lower cylinder section.

Fig. l0 is a plan view of the star wheel.

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are elevational views of the upper cylinder section, a central cylinder section, and a lower cylinder section respectively with the Contact members removed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 is a shaft upon which the sectional cylinder is mounted, and 2 is a star wheel keyed to the shaft 1. An insulating bushing 3 is mounted upon the shaft 1 and serves to insulate a cylinder 4 from the shaft 1. The cylinder 4 is made up of a plu` rality of cylinder sections, including an upper cylinder section 5, a plurality of central cylinder sections 6 and two lower cylinder sections 7 and 7. A large insulating washer 8 is positioned upon the shaft l adjacent the hub of the star wheel 2 and abuts the upper end of the ber bushing 3. A smaller insulating washer 9 is received upon the upper end of the insulating bushing 3 and is positioned between the insulating washer 8 and the upper cylinder section 5. Similarly, an insulating washer 9 is positioned upon the lower end of the insulating bushing 3, between 'the lower cyl-V inder section 7, and an insulating washer 8 upon the shaft i. The shait 1 is provided with screw threads lo adjacent its lower end and a nut 1l is threaded thereon against the washer 3 to secure the cylinder assembly upon the shait between the star wheel 2 and the nut 11.

The shaft l is provided with an aperture l2 adjacent its upper end which aligns with aper tures 13 in the insulating bushing and apertures 14 inthe upper cylinder section 5. An insulating pin 15 extends through the aligned apertures 12, 13 1li to lock the contact member 5 against rotation upon the shaft. The upper cylinder member 5 is provided with a projection 16 on its lower annular face which is received in a recess i7 upon the upper annular surface of the adjacent central cylinder section '3. Each of the central cylinder sections 6 is provided with re- 17 on upper suriace and projections 16 upon its ioi annular surface as is also lower .er section 7. The lower cylinder section 7 is also provided with a recess 17 upon its upper annular surface.

Referring to Figs. 2 3, it will be noted that the upper cylinder section .5 is provided with a radial projection 18 having a radial recess 19 therein. The body portion 20 of a contact member 2i is positioned in each of the recesses 19 and is secured therein by means of a taper pin 22 extending through apertures 23 and 24 in the walls of the projection i8 and contact member body 20 respectively. Similarly, each of the central cylinder sections 6 is provided with a radial projection 25 having a radial recess 19 in which the body portions 2() of contact members 21 are secured by a taper pin 22. The lower contact members 7 and 7 are each provided with a projecting sector 26 having three angularly disposed radial recesses 19 in which are secured the body portions 20 of contact members 21 by means of taper pins 22.

It will be noted that the central cylinder sections are duplicates, and referring to Figs. 4,

U 5, 6, 7 and 8, it will be further noted that the projections 16 and recesses 17 of each section 6 are angularly disposed with respect to each other. Because of the angularity between the projections 16 and recesses 17 upon the sections 6, the contact members 21 will be disposed in predetermined angular relation around the cylinder when the various sections 6 are assembled upon the shaft 1 and bushing 3. The recesses 17 and projections 16 upon the upper cylinder section 5, and the lower cylinder sections '7 and 7', are positioned with respect to the radial recesses 19 such that the contact members 2l carried there-- by are positioned in predetermined angular relation with the contact members 2l upon the central cylinder section 6.

It has been found in practice that the cylinders of electric controller cylinder assemblies are frequently damaged in use, usually because of arcs caused by damage or broken contact members. The damage thus caused, is usually local in extent and in controllers heretofore known it was necessary to replace the -entire cylinder. In the present device, damage to any portion of the cylinder merely requires that the nut 11 be removed rom the shaft, the cylinder sections be slipped from the shaft until the damaged section is removed and a new section inserted in its place. The projections i6 and recesses 17 upon the annular faces of the cylinder sections securely lool: the sections against relative angular movement, and are so disposed that it is impossible to place the sections upon the shaft in any other than the correct angular position.

While I have disclosed and descri `-d a proferred en'ibodiinent oi my invention, it is understood that the structure may be varied Within the scope of the following claims.

l claim as my invention:

l. In a cylinder assembly for electric controllers, a shaft, an insulating sleeve siuroiuiding Said shaft, a plurality of contact carrying cylinder sections surrounding said sleeve, said sections having interlocking portions to prevent relative motion therebetween and means to secure said sections to said shaft for rotation therewith, said sections being provided with radial. projections having radial recesses therein, Contact members having body portions received within said recesses and pins extending laterally through aligned apertures in said radial projections anf :Jody portions `to lool; said contact members to said sections.

2. In a cylinder assembly .for an electric controller, a shaft, a plurality or electrically conducting contact carrying cylinder sections mounted upon said shalt and insulated therefrom and means for preventing relative rotation between said sections and said sliait, said sec-- tions being provided with radial projections having radial recesses therein, contact members havingl body portions received Within said reand pins extending laterally through aligned apertures in said radial projections and body portions to lock said contact members to said sections.

3. In a cylinder assembly for electric controlle a shaft, an insulating sleeve surrounding shaft, a plurality of contact carrying cylinder sections surrounding said sleeve, said sections having interlocking portions to prevent relative motion therebetween, means to secure said sections to said shaft for rotation therewith, said means comprising a :ber pin extending throng i said shaft, insulating sleeve and one of said sections.

4. In a cylinder assembly for an electric controller, a shaft, a plurality of electrically conducting cylinder sections mounted upon said shaft in axial alignment and insulated therefrom, said sections having cooperating projections and recesses for preventing relative rota- Locaties tion thereof and means to lock said sections upon said shaft.

5. In a cylinder assembly 'or an electric controller, a shaft, a plurality oil electrically conducting cyl Aider sections mounted upon said shaft in axial alignment and insulated therefrom, said sections having cooperating projections and recesses for preventing relative rotation thereof, means to lock said sections upon said shaft, each of said .sections being provided with a radial projection havinga radial recess .therein for receiving the body portion of an electrical contact member and a pin extending laterally ci said radial recess and said body portion 'to lool; the contact member to said section.

6. In a cylinder assembly for an electric controller, a shaft having a diametrical aperture extending therethrough, an insulating bushing surrounding said shaft and having apertures aligning with said aperture in said shaft, a plurality of conducting cylinder sections surrounding said insulating bushing and carrying contact ineicb said sections being provided with cocpu projections and recesses upon `their end surfaces to prevent relative rotation therebetween, one of said sections being provided with apertures aligning With apertures ci' said bushing and said shaft, a nber pin extending through the apertures in said shaft, bushing and section to prevent relative rotation of said shaft and said sections, and means on said shaft and insulated fran said sections to secru'e said s .ct-ions axial displacement on said shaft.

7. in a cylinder asseinblv :for an electric controller, a conducting cylinder mounted upon said and insulated ther 1oni, said c'linder compri e end annular secr-.lons and a plurality of duplicate annular central sections mounted in a 'al alignment, said central sections being provi ed. with a recess upon one annular face thereof and projection upon the I Jposlte an.- nular face, said projections being positioned in recesses of adjacent sections to prevent rotation therebetween, contact members car by said central sections, the recess and projection of each central section being relatively angularly disposed whereby said Contact members are relatively angularly disposed upon said cylinder.

S. In a cylinder assembly for electric controllers, a shaft, a plurality of electrically conducting cylinder sections secured coaxially of said shaft and insulated therefrom, said seetions being provided with radial projections having radial recesses therein, contact members having body portions received within said recesses and pins extending laterally through aligned apertures in said radial projections and body portions to lock said contact members to said sections.

l). In a cylinder and contact assembly for electric controllers, a contact cylinder having a radial projection thereon, said radial projection being provided with a radial recess in its outer surface, a Contact member having a body portion positioned in recess, said projection and said body portion having aligned apertures therein., said apertures having their axis substantially perpendicular to said radial projections, and a pin positioned in said aligned apertures to secure said contact member to said con-- tact cylinder.

AARON SLOVER. 

